About 6.33 lakh devotees had darshan at Tirumala during the annual Brahmotsavams of Lord Venkateswara that climaxed with ‘Chakrasnanam’ on Wednesday.
The numerals relating to the pilgrim turnout were unique going by the fact that the TTD had cancelled all forms of paid darshan, arjitha sevas and other privileged darshan formats.
Briefing the media, TTD Chairman Y.V. Subba Reddy said the decision to scrap all forms of paid darshan and implement only ‘sarva darshan’ was taken following the Chief Minister’s instructions to accord top priority to common pilgrims during the nine-day festival.
Of the total turnout, around 81,318 pilgrims had darshan on the day of ‘Garuda Seva’ while over 3 lakh had witnessed the procession.
The decision to suspend ‘harati’ and in its place allow pilgrims nearer to the ‘Garuda Vahanam’ proved rewarding, he said.
The temple ‘hundi’ netted an income of ₹22.08 crore. More than 26 lakh laddus were sold. A staggering 1,189 barbers worked round the clock at Kalyanakatta as 2.20 lakh devotees got their heads tonsured.
The ‘Annadanam’ personnel had served meals and breakfast to around 22 lakh pilgrims. Around 7.87 lakh pilgrims were provided food packets free of cost on the ‘Garuda Seva’ day alone.
The APSRTC had operated around 27,000 round trips and ferried 8.90 lakh devotees between Tirumala and Tirupati.
As a token of appreciation of the services rendered by the ‘vahanam’ bearers, and temple and sanitary staff during the festival, Mr. Subba Reddy, along with Executive Officer A.V. Dharma Reddy, felicitated 2,500 employees, while TTD’s Local Advisory Committee chief in New Delhi Vemireddy Prashanti Reddy gifted them clothes worth ₹40 lakh.
